Solar device.



B. C. GOFF.

SOLAR DEVICE.

" APPLICATION FILED APR- 13, 1916.

1.220991. Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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SOLAR DEVICE. APPLICATION FILED APR- !3, I916.

Patented Mal-.20, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- avwemtoi ,ZerZ 6? 01? wit-Mesa m BERT c. GOFF, orDENVER, INDIANA.

SOLAR, DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 20, 1917.

Application filed April 13, 1916. Serial No. 90,941.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BERT C. Gorr, a citizenof the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Miami andState of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inSolar Devices; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, andexact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The present invention which relates to improvements in solar devices hasfor its object to provide simply constructed yet eiflcient means wherebypower may be generated from the rays of the sun.

With this general object in view, the invent-ion resides in certainnovel features of construction and in unique combinations of parts to behereinafter fully described and claimed, the descriptive matter beingsupplemented by the accompanying drawings which constitute a part ofthis application and in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of theimproved device;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view thereof taken on the planeindicated by the line 22 of Fig. 1; l

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section on the plane of the line 38 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 4 isan enlarged horizontal section on the plane of the line 4-4 ofFig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged vertical section of the heat utilizing means.

In specifically describing the construction shown in the drawings above,briefly described, similar characters will be placed on correspondingparts throughout the several views and reference will be herein made toy the numerous elements by their respective indices. To this end, thenumerals 1 designate a pair of posts rising from a base 2 which will inmost cases be constructed of cement or the like, said posts being bracedas shown-at 3.

Rockably mounted in bearings carried by the upper ends of the posts 1 isa pair of horizontally alined shafts 4 carrying forks 5 on their innerends, which forks support a pair of rollers 6 whose axes are disposed atright angles to the aforesaid shafts. The rollers 6 are preferablythough not necessarily equipped'with gear teeth on their peripheries,and said rollers serve to adjustably support a frame 7 here shown asconstructed of two opposed arcuate track sections 8 disposed on the sameare and having peripheral flanges 9 between which the rollers 6 arereceived to hold said rollers and the frame in operative relation. Therollers 6 bear on thetrack sections 8 below the plane of the axis of theframe 7 as shown, and thus support the weight of said frame. v

The intermediate portions of the tracks 8 are rigidly connected by sidebars 10 and are braced to said bars as shown at 11 whereby to provide astructure which may not easily be canted or warped. An'insert 12 isinterposed between the lower ends of the tracks 8 and is secured theretoby plates or the like 13, said insert having its lower side curved onthe same are with the peripheries of the aforesaid tracks, gear teeth 14being formed on said side of the insert and on the peripheries of thetracks for reasons to be hereinafter set forth.

Held rigidly within a frame 15 which rises from the insert 12 is aboiler 16 preferably of greater size at its top than at its bottom, saidboiler having a central heat distributing member 17 in the form of aninverted hollow, cone whose lower end 18 is preferably concavo-convex insection with its concave side disposed upwardly. The top of the boileraroundthe member 17 is closed while the upper end of said member is openin order that light rays may be.con-.

centrated therein by a device such as the double convex lens indicatedat 19.

The lens 19 is received in a gap which prevails between the upperends-of the two tracks, diametrically opposite portions of the edge ofsaid lens being received in seats 20 carried by said ends of the tracks.Connecting wires 21 extend from the ends of the seats 20 around the edgeof the lens 19 and are spaced from said edge by appropriatespacing-members 22. By this arrangement the lens will be reliably heldin position and spreading of the upper ends of the tracks 8 isprevented.

The light rays from the sun are adapted to pass through the lens 19 andto be concentrated thereby into the member 17 of the boiler 16, thisbeing permitted since the entire frame 7 may move in one direction dueto its mounting on the rollers 6 and may be then turned arcuately in adirection at right rockably"mounted. Thus, the lens 19 andthe member 17'may be positioned in operative relation with respect to the sun, withthe result that the concentrated rays from the latter will heat thewater in the boiler 16 and convert the same into steam, the latter beingremoved through suitable outlets 23 which are preferably in the form offlexible tubes leading from certain of a series of steam valves 24 withwhich the boiler 16 is equipped. Four of these valves are here shown,this number being usually desirable in order that regardless of theangle at which the boiler isplaced, steam may be taken from the sameabove the water level therein. A water valve 24? is also provided forfilling the boiler.

Since the entire structure is rather large and therefore comparativelyheavy, it becomes expedient to provide some simple means for adjustingthe frame 7 upon the rollers 6 according to the angle of the sun,

which angle varies as the seasons change. Although this may be done inany one of a number of ways, a pinion 25 will be preferably carried byone end of a shaft 26 having a hand wheel 27 said pinion beingpositioned below the frame 7 and being adapted for engagement with thegear teeth 14, whereupon rotation of the hand wheel 27 will turn theframe 7 in the desired manner. Normally, however, one end of the shaft26 is lowered to disengage the pinion 25 from the teeth 14, but whenadjustments are to be made, a jack 28 is employed for so raising theshaft as to move the pinion into operativerelation with the aforesaidteeth.

Secured to one of the shafts 1 is a gear or the like 29 by means ofwhich any appropriate power may be applied to so turn said shafts andthe frame 7 supported thereby as to retain the lens 19 and'the member17in operative relation with the sun from morning until night, it beingunderstood that said shafts are positioned on a line extending north andsouth and therefore that the lens 19 must be slowly moved from east towest in order that the rays of the sun may be concentrated in the member17 throughout the day. In the nmrning the shafts 1 will be turned toposition the lens 19 toward the will state that although certainspecific de-' tails have been shown and described for accomplishingprobably the best results, numerous changes may be made within the scopeof the invention as. claimed without sacrificing the main advantagesthereof.

I claim:

1. A solar device of "the class described comprising a movably mountedframe including a. pair of opposed arcuate tracks spaced apart at oneend, a pair of seats carried by said ends, a light intensifying lenshaving diametrically opposite portions of its edge engaged with saidseats, heat utilizing means upon which said lens is adapted toconcentrate light rays, supporting rollers upon. which the aforesaidtracks rest, and supports for said rollers, said supports being mountedrockably upon axes at right angles to the axes of said rollers.

2. A solar device of the class described comprising a circular framedisposed in substantially a Vertical plane and having at diametricallyopposite points heat utilizing means, and means for concentrating raysof light on said utilizing means, a pair of supporting rollers uponwhich the sides of said frame rest, said rollers being below the.

plane of the axis of said frame and extending between flanges on thetracks for retaining said frame and rollers in operative relation, andsupporting members for said rollers rockably mounted upon alined axes atright angles to the axes of the rollers.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

I BERT O. GOFF. Witnesses:

M. M. DUKES,

Aonr. DUKES.

